BBC Sermon Cast

Revelation 5 takes us into the throne room of heaven where we see the worthiness of Jesus, the Lamb who was slain. As we stand on the threshold of 2022, after two years of global upheaval, it is important for Christians to fix their eyes on the King, who is worthy to receive all power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour, glory and blessing.

As we move into a new year, we are tempted to make predictions and prognostications for what lies ahead. One temptation we face in so doing is the temptation to presumption. James warns against this temptation in 4:13–17 and it is a warning we do well to heed.

We have considered the opening two visions of Revelation 12 under the broad theme of “A Cosmic Christmas.” In vv. 1–6, we considered the violent night in which the dragon tried to end the promise of Messiah’s birth. In vv. 7–12, we saw the holy war in which Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. In the third vision (vv. 13–17), we see that all’s not calm as the dragon, having failed to defeat Messiah, turns his fury against Messiah’s people.

It is a tradition in many South African churches to gather as a church on Christmas morning to celebrate the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. But why do we do so? What are we celebrating? Why celebrate Christmas? Luke 2:8–14 offers some insight into this question.

Having failed on earth to stop the promised birth (vv. 1–6), the dragon turns his attention in vv. 7–12 to fight against Messiah in the heavenly realms. The text before us traces a fourfold path. It highlights, first, the dragon’s determination to continue the war against Messiah (vv. 7–8). It offers, second, a description of the dragon (v. 9). It presents, third, a vision of the dragon’s defeat (vv. 10–11). Fourth, it shows the dragon’s desperation to continue the war (v. 12), setting us up for the third vision in the chapter.

Revelation 12 records a vision, which, in just a few sentences, spans the Lord’s ministry from life to ascension. It gives us a picture of a cosmic Christmas, pulling back the curtain on what was happening in the spiritual realm on that “silent night.” And what we find is anything but silence.

This time of year can be so cluttered with traditions of Christmas that, despite our best intentions, the significance of Christ stepping into our world stops at Jesus in the manger. We need to be reminded they he is the Son of God, the King, and our Saviour.

Though he had commissioned his replacement, Moses was still in charge, tasked by God to continue to prepare the next generation to worship and serve the Lord long after his death. A huge part of their worship would involve the annual festal and regularly-scheduled sacrificial offerings; offerings that uniquely belonged to God. In chapters 28–29, the Lord referred to these sacrificial offerings as “my offering.” While these specific offerings are obsolete under the new covenant, these chapters nonetheless contain abiding principles concerning communion with God.

The New City Catechism asks, “What does the law of God require?” It answers, “That we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbour as ourselves.” When his opponents tried to trap him with a tough theological question, Jesus responded in precisely this way, stating that the entire law can be summed up in these two commands.

Most of us probably do not like change. Change makes most of us uncomfortable. We like the familiar and so, when faced with a transition, we can find ourselves tense as we might feel uncertain about the change. This is completely understandable. But life is about change. Change is also a reality in local churches. One change that local churches must face is the transition to receiving a new shepherd. This can be both exciting and tense, a reality that is revealed for us in these final verses of Numbers 27.